The voice acting performance of Twin Turbo, in particular, paired with the atmosphere at the race venue, was truly moving. It felt just like watching those classic tear-jerker anime from years past.
It was past twelve o'clock, in front of the television.
Shiga Taka was watching the tenth episode of "Uma Musume: Pretty Derby" Season 2 with rapt attention.
Having followed it from the first episode, watching the protagonist, Tokai Teio, go from a spirited genius horse girl to one suffering from repeated fractures and tormented by pain, eventually wanting to give up and quit, really made his heart ache.
Fortunately, he knew this was based on the story of the real-life Tokai Teio. If he didn't, he would have already cursed "Old Thief Lin" countless times by now.
The first half of the tenth episode was still heartbreaking.
As he watched, Shiga Taka thought to himself: "Once I finish this episode, I'm going to play the game and see me lead Tokai Teio to an unbeaten Triple Crown!"
As he was thinking this, the turning point appeared on the screen.
Having left Tokai Teio, Twin Turbo was running when she quickly bumped into her teammates, including Nice Nature, Daichi Ruby, and T.M. Opera O.
"I see... Teio isn't running anymore..." The teammates all felt a sense of regret upon learning that Tokai Teio was giving up on racing.
Twin Turbo, however, said, "It's so frustrating, so frustrating, so frustrating!
I'll do it!
I'll definitely do it right in front of Teio, I'll lead the whole way and win!"
Twin Turbo exclaimed, "It's so frustrating, so frustrating, so frustrating! I can do it! I will lead from start to finish and win right in front of Teio! I want to prove to her that if you never give up, you can definitely do it!"
"About that... that might not be possible."
Excellent Quality said, "The Open Race happens to be on Thanksgiving Day."
On Thanksgiving Day, Tokai Teio was holding a concert. Naturally, she couldn't just abandon her concert to go watch Twin Turbo's race.
"Eh? How could this be!"
Twin Turbo panicked and hurriedly ran to her team's trainer, begging them to find a way, insisting that Tokai Teio had to see her race.
The team's trainer felt very conflicted, but with Excellent Quality and the others also pleading, the trainer ultimately decided to help.
On the day of Thanksgiving, the school gates were thrown open, and people from outside the school flocked to Tracen Academy.
Tokai Teio's "mini" concert had already gathered a massive crowd of fans under the stage, making it no different from a major concert.
"Well then, I'm off to give the best farewell possible," Tokai Teio said to her teammates, dressed in her performance outfit, before turning and walking towards the stage.
Just as she stepped onto the stage, a wave of cheers erupted from the audience, a testament to her immense popularity.
Tokai Teio first bowed to the audience, then said, "Thank you all for coming today. I'm so happy that so many of you came for someone like me, who can no longer run."
"We're the ones who are happy! Teio!" the fans in the audience responded passionately.
Tokai Teio scratched her head, smiling. "As you all know, I've fractured a bone again. This is my third time—pretty impressive, right? I'm already a pro at this, or so I thought..."
As she spoke, her smile faded, and her mood grew noticeably somber.
The audience fell silent.
"But... so..."
Tokai Teio continued, "I... can no longer... can no longer..."
She clenched her fists, fighting back tears.
Before she could finish her sentence, a voice suddenly rang out from the crowd: "Teio-san, I'll be waiting for you!"
It was Kitasan Black, her number one fangirl.
She didn't know Tokai Teio was going to retire before. When she learned the news of Tokai Teio's third fracture, she specially made an amulet for her, only Tokai Teio didn't accept it when she tried to give it to her before.
Now, she was in the very front row below the stage, holding the amulet, her eyes brimming with tears.
Tokai Teio's pupils dilated slightly as she couldn't help but recall the scene of her watching her idol, Symboli Rudolf, race back then.
"I will keep waiting, waiting for the day you can run again!" Kitasan Black said, her tears no longer able to be held back, falling down.
Tokai Teio was a bit stunned.
Soon, from the other side, the Spica trainer also shouted: "Teio! Call me selfish or headstrong if you want, but run again!"
"Trainer..."
Tokai Teio was surprised and a bit at a loss.
Immediately after, other fans below the stage also began to shout one after another:
"Teio! Let us see more of the Emperor's dance steps!"
"The racetrack is where you truly belong, Teio!"
"Don't give in to a little injury!"
"You haven't lost yet! This is just a step towards the next victory!"
"That's right! Let us see it one more time!"
"Everyone..."
Tokai Teio clearly hadn't expected something like this to happen.
The next second, the big screen behind her emitted static noise, and then the screen went black.
She hurriedly turned to look.
Backstage, the members of Spica had all been restrained; it was the trainer of Twin Turbo's team, along with Nice Nature and Poem Opera, who had done it.
After restraining them, the trainer began playing a race.
On stage.
The big screen lit up again, but this time, it showed Twin Turbo running at full speed on the track, accompanied by the commentator's voice: "The crowd is roaring, Twin Turbo is leading with everything she has—just how many horse lengths has she pulled ahead by? It's hard to tell from the live footage, but she's maintaining a huge lead, out in front all by herself!"
Seeing this, Tokai Teio's eyes widened slightly in front of the big screen.
"Twin Turbo is leading! Twin Turbo is leading by a huge margin! The turbo engine is wide open again today! Entering the third turn, she still hasn't stopped accelerating, burning all her energy to run as hard as she can! The eccentric front-runner Twin Turbo is in the lead!
Now, the number one popular runner, Rice Shower, is catching up, aiming for third place—she's currently in fourth. Can the dark long-distance runner, who defeated the current strongest Mejiro McQueen in the Spring Tenno Sho, catch up? One, two, three seconds behind Twin Turbo, in second place is Stone Stone, and in third is Royal Hercules."
In the blink of an eye, only Twin Turbo, only Twin Turbo has entered the fourth turn. Twin Turbo is far in the lead! Twin Turbo is far in the lead! Now on the final straight, Rice Shower has finally caught up, but Twin Turbo has already passed the 200-meter marker. Can Rice Shower still catch her?"
The race commentator narrates with overflowing emotion, accompanied by a lyrical insert song sung by Tokai Teio's voice actor.
At the race venue, Twin Turbo is running until she's almost out of steam, as if she's given half her life, but she continues to lead relentlessly, even shouting, "This is called never giving up! Tokai Teio!"
In front of the big screen, Tokai Teio is wide-mouthed, looking disbelieving and deeply moved.
Rice Shower can't catch her, and in the end, Twin Turbo actually takes the championship. However, having finally rushed to the finish line, she collapses to the ground with a lunge.
The venue erupts in cheers.
Panting, Twin Turbo lifts her head as if she can see Tokai Teio in front of the big screen, and asks, "How about that? Teio..."
In front of the TV, Shiga Taka is suddenly moved to tears.
Before this race, Twin Turbo had given him the feeling of being a comic relief character, but at this moment, much like Tokai Teio on television, he couldn't help but be moved by her.
Especially with the voice actor's brilliant performance paired with the atmosphere at the race venue, it was truly touching.
It felt like watching those tear-jerking animations from years ago.